


Summer Nights

by oSnapple



Category: OMORI (Video Game)
Genre: Drabble Collection, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, Fluff, Gen, Just kids being kids, The whole gang is here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-17 07:33:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28845387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oSnapple/pseuds/oSnapple
Summary: Sometimes it's hard to remember that, in the end, they're just children.
Relationships: Aubrey & Basil & Hero & Kel & Sunny (OMORI), Hero/Mari (OMORI), if you squint
Comments: 38
Kudos: 249





	1. Tooth Fairy

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically a dumping ground for any drabbles/headcanons that I've made of the Dream Team.

"This sounds like a really bad idea."

"Oh, c'mon, Aubrey, he needs help!" 

Aubrey glances between Sunny, Basil, and Kel, then settles on Basil.

"Basil?" she asks.

Basil flinches, tightening his grip on his camera. "I-I tried to tell them not to, but they won't listen."

"Because it's a good idea!" Kel insisted, then shakes Sunny's shoulders. "And Sunny said it's fine, so..."

When Aubrey looks at Sunny, he gives her a single thumbs up. After another scan, she sighs and lifts Mr. Plantegg.

"I want half of whatever you get," she says before swinging with all her might. 

Later, Aubrey arrives at the Sato household to find Sunny with a bag of peas tied to his face with a towel. Mari greets her with a flurry of "hi, Aubrey, you look adorable today!" before she's back to fussing over Sunny and the bloodied cotton balls sitting on the counter. Mr. and Mrs. Sato are out for date night, leaving Mari and Hero in charge for the evening.

"Oh, cool!" Kel gasps from behind Aubrey. He paws at Sunny until he manages to climb up onto a stool, basically shoving his head into Sunny's mouth before Hero pulls him back. "You got two out at once? Doesn't the Tooth Fairy have to pay double the amount?"

"I don't know about that," Hero says before tilting Sunny's head back. "What happened? I thought you only had one tooth loose."

"...I tripped," Sunny mumbles. 

"He said he was trying to get off the tire swing and got caught," Mari elaborates. She sighs and shakes her head. "That's why I told you not to play outside without me, otouto. You could've gotten hurt."

"Sorry." 

After dinner (which, somehow, consists mainly of ice cream for Sunny), Sunny, Kel, and Aubrey crowd around the tv while Hero and Mari whisper in the kitchen. Basil hadn't been able to make it, but he'd promised to come tomorrow when they got the goods.

"...how much do I need again?" Sunny mutters.

"$20," Kel reminds him. "Then we'll be able to buy that new comic."

"What about my half?" Aubrey hisses. "I'm getting half of whatever the Tooth Fairy gives you, right? We need $30."

"Nuh-uh. Half of $20 is-"

"Ten," Sunny says. He writes a big $30, along with a polite "please". "Isn't $30 a lot?"

"Kinda, but the Tooth Fairy makes a bunch of money," Kel says. "One time, Hero said he used to get candy bars from the Tooth Fairy. But then Mama said she told the Fairy to stop because Hero got a cavity and had to go to the dentist."

"...do you think she takes silver teeth?" Aubrey asks while Sunny folds up his note. "How much do you think the Tooth Fairy would give us for a silver tooth?"

"A lot." Sunny looks at the note. "$100."

Aubrey and Kel gasp. "$100?!"

"We could buy a whole new console with $100," he continues, then looks up at Hero's back with a glint in his eye. "We could buy Mrs. Plantegg."

In the kitchen, elbow deep in the dishes, Hero freezes. A shudder runs up his back.

"What's wrong?" Mari asks when he shakes his head out.

"I don't know." He glances over his shoulder and immediately snaps back around. "They're staring at us."

"They are?" Mari glances at their younger friends. She offers Sunny a smile before returning to the fridge. "Maybe they're just really antsy since Basil stayed home."

"Maybe." Hero risks another glance, then pales. "Mari, they're gone-"

"GET HIM!" 

Hero buckles as Aubrey and Sunny drag him to the floor. Before he can get up, Kel drops on his chest and squeezes Hero's cheeks.

"Can we have your tooth?!" he asks. 

"My wah?" Hero manages. 

"We need your silver tooth!" Aubrey says, pinning on arm. On the other, Sunny sits, face as blank as always. 

"You have a silver tooth?" Mari asks while Hero flops back.

"Ugh, dude, I already told you," he groans. "It's just a regular filling. Not metal." 

Sunny frowns. "But we need to give it to the Tooth Fairy." 

Mari blinks before laughing. "Alright, hold on."

She pries their younger friends away from Hero, keeping an extra firm grip on Kel while his brother gets to his feet.

"I don't think the Tooth Fairy accepts adult teeth," she says. At Kel's pouting, she smiles and ruffles his hair. "But maybe if you guys go to bed early, she'll reward you with double whatever you ask for!" 

"Really?" Aubrey glances at the clock, then gasps. "Guys, it's almost eight!"

"But that's so early..." Kel whines. "What about ten?"

"Nine," Sunny decides. Without delay, the three scramble up and out of the kitchen, footsteps thundering up the stairs. Aubrey shouts at Kel about using the right toothbrush just as the bathroom door clicks shut.

"...Double?" Hero asks. 

Mari shrugs. "Sunny never asks for much, anyways."


	2. Mr. Plantegg

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aubrey is a little worried, but it's nothing to worry about.

Sunny holds the ball with his hands completely flat, and it barely goes anywhere when he throws it at Kel. Kel still goes after it anyways. 

"They still haven't healed up?" Aubrey asks from the sidelines. 

Sunny shakes his head. The injuries in question are hidden beneath the bright blue band-aids, each wrapped tight around the tips of his fingers. The only digit spared is his right pinky. His left pointer is entirely wrapped in plaster. 

"Yo, watch out!" Kel shouts just as the ball whistles towards Sunny. It bops the boy in the head before he can catch it. Thankfully, it doesn't knock him over, unlike when they first started "Sunny Reaction Time Training". 

Still, that doesn't stop Sunny from pouting. 

"Sorry!" Kel says. He grabs the ball and pats Sunny's head to check for any bumps. "You good, Sunny?" 

Sunny pouts again, but he nods, and as the two go back to tossing the ball at each other, Aubrey sighs. 

"Worried?" Basil asks beside her. Flowers litter his lap. 

"Just a little," Aubrey admits just as Sunny catches the ball again. His fingers twitch, like they want to curl around it, but he flinches and flattens his hand again. "It's been days, now. What if there's something wrong?" 

Basil shrugs. "I'm sure Mari would've done something about it if it was bad." 

Aubrey frowns. She wants to tell Basil that he doesn't care enough, that maybe Sunny's hiding it from Mari, but then Mari is walking towards them with armfuls of snacks, Hero not too far behind. 

"I got the chips!" Mari calls. 

Sunny and Kel both look at her just as the younger brother throws the ball. Sunny gets bopped again while Kel charges at Mari. 

"Did'ja get the spicy kind?" he asks. 

Hero fishes through one of the bag and pulls out a bright orange bag. "Yep. But I already claimed it." 

"Wh-Hey, no fair!" Kel tries to scale Hero, who easily keeps him down with one hand. After a few more useless flails, Kel huffs and turns to Sunny. "Sunny, Skelly time. Hurry! Before Hero eats all the chips!" 

Sunny doesn't protest. In no time flat, he's mounted on Kel's shoulders, and Hero actually takes a step back as the fusion known as Skelly starts walking towards him. 

"Hey, that's two-on-one!" Hero says. "That's cheating!" 

Sunny points at Hero, and Kel charges at his older brother with a yell. 

"Well, that was fast," Mari says as she joins Aubrey and Basil in the shade of the tree. "So, how's your crown going, Basil?" 

"I think it's good!" Basil holds up the half-finished accesory with a smile. "I feel like it's missing something bright, though. Something to make it really pop." 

"Maybe something orange?" Mari suggests before turning to Aubrey. Her face falls. "Oh, is something wrong, Aubrey? You look a little down." 

"Oh, no, I'm..." Aubrey hesitates, gripping the hem of her skirt before looking up at Mari. "Is Sunny okay?" 

Mari cocks her head. In the distance, Sunny is gripping Kel's hair while they chase Hero around the field. When they're within grabbing distance, Sunny makes a swipe for the chips and misses. Kel tumbles forward, and the three go tumbling across the grass, laughing. 

Well, Kel and Hero are laughing. Sunny lands on them both and sits up first, a smug look in his eye when he grabs the bag from where it flew out of Hero's grasp. 

"What do you mean?" Mari asks. 

"I mean..." Aubrey shifts again, picking at the skin around her nails. "He's been practicing a lot, right? Does it hurt?" 

Understanding flashes in Mari's eyes, and she smiles at Aubrey with the same warm smile that makes the younger girl want to sigh in relief. 

"Oh, don't worry, Aubrey," she says, this time holding up her own hands. "If he was practicing too hard, I would've stopped him. He's just been doing something on his own for a bit. But I'll keep a better eye on him for you." 

And she does. After a few days, Sunny's fingers are perfectly fine. Aubrey forgets about it after a week. 

Then, when her birthday rolls around and she pulls Sunny's gift from the bag, it all clicks together. 

It's Mr. Plantegg. The felt is kinda scratchy, and when she holds it up, she can see that the side of its face sinks a little too much to the left. But it's Mr. Plantegg, and she feels her eyes well up with tears. 

"Mr. Plantegg!" Kel cheers. He reaches out to pet it, squishing its cheek before gasping. "Oh, y'know, where's your old Mr. Plantegg, Aubrey? I haven't seen him in forever." 

Aubrey is a little too choked up to respond, so Mari does for her. 

"He got a little torn up," she says vaguely. "But Sunny and I managed to patch him up in no time. How do you like him?" 

Aubrey clutches Mr. Plantegg tight and nods, then buries her face in its plump head. It's definitely not hers (it doesn't smell like oranges from the one time Kel tripped with a bottle of juice in his hand) but it's soft and purple and Mr. Plantegg-like, and she loves it. 

There's a soft click. Aubrey peels her face back just in time to see Basil hold up the new picture for the others to see. 

"Aw, that's a nice one," Hero says. Sunny worms his way over Basil's shoulder to look at the photo while Kel squishes Mr. Plantegg again. Aubrey nearly headbutts him when he almost pulls it out of her arms. 

"Yeah," Basil agrees with a smile. "It looks nice, right, Sunny?" 

"...mhm." 

"Kel, you're gonna rip him!" 

"No, I'm not!" 

"Maybe we should help him out," Hero says. "Before they tear it up." 

Sunny grunts. It doesn't matter to him, at least. The sewing kit is upstairs, anyways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I...have a slight soft spot for Aubrey.


	3. Nicknames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang talks about their names.

"Your name isn't actually Sunny?"

Sunny nods, tracing circles around the ants as they scatter in the sand. Across from him, Basil builds little mounds for them to bury into.

"It's not?" Kel asks in surprise. He sways from the swingset, Hero positioned behind him to give him another shove. "How come I've never heard that?"

"I thought we mentioned that already," Mari says, catching Aubrey when she swings back on her own seat.

"You did," Hero says as he draws Kel's seat back.

"No, you didn't," Kel insists. Hero flings him forward for his troubles and nearly sends him wrapping over the top bar.

"How come?" Aubrey asks while Kel shrieks.

"It just makes it easier on everyone," Mari says, resting her chin on Aubrey's head. "It's not hard to say it, but...y'know."

"Americans," Sunny mutters.

Mari frowns. _"Sunny."_

Sunny squints at Mari like he wants to argue, but after a glance between Basil and Aubrey, he shrugs and says, "...that's what Dad says."

"Oooooh, I get it," Kel says after he slams back into Hero. "Mama always talks about how her friends at work always say her name wrong."

"What's your mom's name?" Basil asks.

"Ximena!' Kel announces, then promptly falls face first in the dirt when Hero tilts the swing out from under him.

"She uses Hannah at work," Hero adds. He claims the swing for himself, ignoring Kel's angry shoves at his back.

Mari nods, nudging Aubrey's head in the process. "Yeah, I get that. Mariko isn't that hard to say, but it's just easier to get people to say Mari."

"It's still a pretty name," Basil says, offering her a smile.

"Aw, thank you, Basil," Mari replies. "You have a cute name too."

"Thank you! I chose it myself," he says proudly.

Kel stops in his shoving to look at Basil. "Huh? You chose yours?"

"Mhm." Basil builds up another castle, this time adding a twig bridge over the moat that Sunny digs. "I just like it."

"That's no fair," Kel grumbles. He shakes Hero's swing. "How come I can't choose mine?"

"You chose your nickname, Kel," Hero says. He tips himself back until Kel groans, arms struggling to keep him upright.

"What even is your full name?" Aubrey asks.

"Kelsey," Hero answers for him. "I think it's pretty cu-Gah!"

He flops on his back, hitting the dirt shoulders first while Kel scrambles back into the swing.

"At least it's not Henry," he says proudly.

"At least they're actually names," Aubrey mumbles. The park lapses into silence as they turn to look at her, and she flushes and ducks her head.

"Your name isn't Aubrey?" Hero asks in surprise.

When Aubrey nods, Kel gasps and slips out of his seat, worming his way through both the girls' arms. "Really?! What is it?"

"I'm not telling you!" Aubrey snaps. She wiggles out of her swing before Kel can stop her, dragging Mari between them.

"It's not that bad..." Basil says, then panicks when Aubrey glares at him. "It-It really isn't!"

"Yeah," Kel agrees. "It can't be anything worse than Henry."

"Well, we can't force her to tell us if she doesn't want to," Hero reminds them before giving her a smile. "You don't have to, Aubrey."

Aubrey nods, ready to steer the conversation to something else entirely, but one glance at Sunny's wide eyes makes her falter.

"...Aubergine."

Kel cocks his head. "Aw-ber-jean?"

"Au-ber-gine. It's French," she grumbles.

"Aubergine," Hero echoes, and Aubrey remembers too late that Hero is good at everything, especially cooking, because he snaps his fingers and lights up. "Doesn't that mean Eggplant?"

And it only takes a second before Kel starts to laugh.

" _Eggplant_?!" Kel wheezes. "Is that why you like Mr. Plantegg so much? 'cause you and him have the same name?"

"Shut up!" Aubrey throws a handful of grass at Kel's face, but it only spurs him on harder. "It's not funny! My mom wanted a unique name, so that's what she gave me!"

"I think it's a lovely name!" Mari says, squeezing Aubrey's shoulders."It feels nice to say. Flows smoothly out of the mouth."

"And it sounds exotic," Basil adds, although it's a bit hard to hear over Kel's giggling. "It's a really cool name."

"Way better than Kelsey," Hero agrees.

Kel stops mid-laugh to glare at him. "Gee, thanks, Henry."

"No problemo, _enano_."

Basil giggles when Kel groans at the rhyme, then pauses when he sees Sunny tracing something in the sand. When he leans over, he perks up.

"Oh, is that Japanese?" he asks.

Sunny nods, careful to give each stroke its own space. Soon enough, the others crowd around his shoulders to watch as he writes.

"What's it say?" Kel asks, arm slung around Sunny's shoulder.

"Sato Mariko," Mari reads for him. She gives her brother a smile and ruffles his hair before pointing to the characters. "I remember when you first learned 'horse'. You thought it was what they used in my name and thought Mom and Dad named me Horse Clever Girl."

When Aubrey and Kel look at Hero, he whisperss, "the Japanese alphabet have symbols that make the same sound but have different meanings."

"The ones they used in mine sorta translate into True Pearl Girl. Not sure why," Mari admits with a laugh.

Sunny begins to write again, and after a moment of contemplation, he points to the second clump of characters and mutters, "Sun Vegetable."

" _Hina_. It's Hina," Mari translates. "That was Mom's idea. She said she liked how happy it sounds, and it'll make Sunny grow into a healthy, bright boy."

"Wait." Aubrey hunches over to read the characters again. "If Mari's name means Pear Girl and Sunny's is just Sun Vegetable..."

"...we all have food names except for Kel," Basil finishes.

"Huh?!" Kel eyes the sand in shock, then scowls. "Aw, come on, that's not fair!"

"Tough luck, Kel," Hero says, shaking his head in disappointment. "Guess you just weren't cut out for...the Food Group."

He smiles at Mari. She groans and shakes her head.

"The Food Group?" she repeats.

"Yeah! Hero, the Sandwich. Protein and grains," he says before nudging Aubrey and Sunny together. "Vegetables."

"And I'm fruit?" Mari guesses.

"Yep! Basil can be the garnish," Hero adds, patting Basil's head.

"But what about me?" Kel whines.

"You can be the dairy."

"But I'm lactose intolerant."

"Then we'll just have to find another person to fit the Dairy role," Aubrey decides and sticks her tongue out at Kel. "That's what you get for choosing such a bad nickname."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my brain is telling me to write angst.


	4. Sleepover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aubrey sleeps over at Kel and Hero's house.

Hero is in the middle of a very pleasant dream when Kel elbow drops him right in the stomach. 

"Guh-Kel, what the-" 

"Shhh!" Kel smothers his brother with a hand, glaring with too much energy to have at this time of the night. 

Hero sits up, shoving Kel back. He's ready to grab his blanket and roll over, but there's another figure standing in the room, and he nearly grabs the nearest trophy for self-defense when the figure sniffles. It takes a good amount of squinting for him to realize it's not a robber. 

"Aubrey?" he whispers. When she sniffles again, he throws his legs over the bed and gets up. "Aubrey, what's wrong?" 

"She's sleeping over," Kel says without hesitation. "You're sleeping on the couch." 

"What? Why?" 

"'cause you have the bigger bed-" 

"No, why are-" Hero pinches the bridge of his nose, running through as many options as he can before sighing. "Aubrey, can you give us a sec?" 

Aubrey sniffles and nods, and Hero drags Kel into the hallway. 

"What happened?" he whispers the second they're inside the bathroom. 

"I was getting up to go pee but then I got hungry so I went downstairs and I got a bad feeling and when I went outside I saw Aubrey standing outside all creepy-" 

"In the backyard?" 

"Front yard, duh. And she had a backpack with her and she was crying so I opened the door and told her to come inside and now she's sleeping over," Kel finishes, ending with a shrug as if the situation can't be helped. 

Hero makes a noise, hesitates, then runs a hand through his hair. "Okay. Um." 

His first instinct is to send her home. Her parents would be worried sick. Her dad especially. And that was ignoring what their parents would do if they heard that they snuck someone in at two in the morning. 

"Kel-" 

"She's not going home," Kel decides, as if he'd heard everything in Hero's head. 

"Kel, if her parents find out she snuck out, she might get into even more trouble," Hero says. 

"But that's the thing!" Kel waves his arms, then nervously glances at the door before pulling Hero close. "It was really bad, Hero. She said she was leaving and-and I didn't know what to do." 

Leave? 

"Leave...how?" 

Kel shrugs, but Hero knows Kel better than anyone. His little brother struggles in school, but he's smart with people. 

"I dunno. It was something about her mom and dad again. And...and you know how scary her dad is." 

Hero doesn't answer. Everyone in town knows. Aubrey's dad wears the Purple Heart everywhere he goes, pinned inside his shirt and right over his chest. 

"Alright," Hero mutters, then sighs. "Yeah, alright. But if Mom and Dad get mad, it's your fault." 

Kel brightens up and rushes back into the room, where Aubrey sits awkwardly in the center of the room. She has a backpack sitting in front of her, and she flinches when they enter, like they'd caught her messing with something she wasn't meant to have. 

It makes Hero feel worse. 

"Do you have any spare clothes you want to change in?" he offers. "I have some old shirts, if you want." 

He's already digging through his drawers, unearthing the softest shirt he can find. When he offers it to Aubrey, she doesn't take it until Kel grabs it and drapes it over her head for her. She doesn't complain about how it messes up her hair. 

In fact, she doesn't talk until Hero prepares himself for a night on the couch. 

"You don't have to," she says. "I can..." 

"Nah, it's okay," Kel insists. "Right, Hero?" 

"I like the couch," Hero agrees. "The cushions are nice and soft. Trust me." 

"But..." Aubrey frowns and shakes her head. "I'm fine. I can just sleep on the floor or something." 

"But Hero's bed has the best blankets," Kel offers. When Aubrey shakes her head again, he puffs his cheeks. "Fine." 

He marches over to Hero's bed and shoves his arms under the comforter. With a mighty heave, he tears it off the bed and sends them all over the floor. 

"Wh-Kel!" Aubrey hisses, but Kel is already at his own bed, tearing his blankets away to add to the pile. Hero catches on and starts chucking his pillows over until there's a giant mess in the center of the room. 

"Alright, Mr. Boss," Hero says while Aubrey gawks at them. "What's the build gonna look like for today?" 

"Well, Mr. Also Boss, I'm thinking we build a big one today," Kel says, nodding to himself. "We gotta make this a good one. What'dya think, Mrs. Boss?" 

Aubrey doesn't answer. 

"That's good enough for me, Mr. Boss." 

The brothers move around their room as quietly as they can, lifting blankets and propping pillows. Trophies hold the tent in place while Kel shoves his collectable glow-in-the-dark figurines into any dark corner. After a few hushed minutes, a pillow fort is erected in the center of their room. 

"Tadah!" Kel whispers. "Like it?" 

Aubrey lifts one flap and sticks her head inside. Kel's sheets make up the tent, basketball-patterned walls hanging over the deep blue of Hero's much comfier blankets. Pillows from both of their beds pad the floor, asissted by towels Kel had run out to grab. With the green glow, it almost looks like a space camp. Just missing some rocks. 

Kel wriggles in while she's still holding up the flap, claiming the left corner for himself. "Come on in, Aubrey! It's nice and warm." 

"It's not a pool," she says before climbing in. And he's right. The blankets smell like cologne and cooked food, and when she actually lays down, she basically sinks into it. Best blankets indeed. 

Hero crawls in after her, careful to give Aubrey enough space. It results in him hunching over to keep from hitting the tent, but he doesn't seem to mind. 

"Job well done, Mr. Also Boss," Kel grumbles before yawning. In seconds, he's snoring. 

"How does he do that?" Aubrey whispers. 

"I have no clue," Hero admits. "Kinda jealous of him." 

Aubrey pouts and squeezes Mr. Plantegg. It lets out a weird noise. 

"Aubrey," Hero starts. "Were you...were you going to run away?" 

Mr. Plantegg let outs another low honk while Aubrey curls in on herself. She doesn't deny it, and Hero's chest starts to hurt. He plants a hand on her head and smiles. 

"Well, I'm glad you came over," he says. "Kel would've started crying." 

"...he wouldn't," Aubrey grumbles. 

"Oh, he would," Hero insists. "He's a big crybaby. This one time I told him we were going to Disney, and when Mama told him we weren't, he started crying." 

Aubrey's face scrunches up, but she still ends up smiling. "That sounds like him." 

Kel snores even louder. He kicks at the blankets and nearly nails Aubrey in the side. 

She settles into the blankets after slamming a pillow over Kel's face. Once he's muffled, she tucks Mr. Plantegg under her chin and mumbles, "G'night." 

After twenty minutes, Kel turns and grumbles, "I'm not a crybaby." 

"I know." 

After another few minutes, Kel squirms so that he's practically blocking the entrance. If anyone tries to leave, they would either have to crawl on him or destroy the entire fort. 

"I'm not," Kel repeats before passing out. This time, he doesn't even snore.

Hero smiles and snuggles into his spot. "I know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you a lot to all the kind comments ^-^  
> I've been thinking of doing an omori reader insert but idk if there's an audience for that. But also the ideas I have for that are pretty off the charts ^-^  
> Having said that, I'm beating Aubrey with the light angst stick this chap. Sorry bby.


	5. Hugs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sunny learns about the power of hugs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> something short bc i got busy w genshin and more omori stuff

Sunny's stuck. 

Aubrey has his entire right side in a bear-like grip, squeezing him tight while she buries her face in his shoulder. His left is taken up by Basil, head cushioned by Sunny's bicep while he snuggles into the plushy Sprout Mole they'd brought him. Kel's legs pin his and Aubrey's own while he snores on Hero's thighs, with Hero himself passed out on his stomach, one arm tossed protectively over Aubrey. Piled on top are every single stuffed toy they had available. 

They call it the Contain and Treasure Pile. CAT (with a silent P). 

"You in there, otouto?" Mari whispers as she sneaks into the room. Sunny can't really lift his head, but he tries to nod and hope that the moving stuffed toys translates for him. 

He guesses it does, because Mari laughs and starts to dig until he sees her face. It's a breath of fresh air. Literally. It was getting too warm in there. 

"How are you feeling?" she asks. 

Sunny blinks. He's not sure. His first thought is warm. Basil and Aubrey are really warm. Even Kel and Hero, who aren't as directly on top of him, are really warm. And the plush toys aren't helping. 

But he knows what she's asking for, and he's not sure how to answer. One moment, they had been playing cards. The next...he wasn't able breathe, no matter how hard he repeated in his head that everything was fine and okay. Everything spun and pitched and darkened until he was curling up on the floor, then- 

"Sunny, hey, can you hear me?" 

"Hero, he's not responding!" 

"Hold on, here-" 

Then everyone had climbed on top of him, squeezing the life out of him while Mari counted out each breath he had to take. 

It's been an hour now, Sunny thinks. Everyone had fallen asleep because they refused to let go of him. 

"I'm okay," he murmurs. It's enough movement to make Basil wriggle closer. 

"Good." Mari offers him a chocolate wafer, and he tries his best to eat it without getting crumbs everywhere. It sort of works. 

After everyone finally wakes up, Sunny's entire body is tingling as blood flows back into his limbs. He sits up while Kel stretches and Basil fixes his flower crown, and Aubrey struggles to comb her hair until Mari comes over to help. 

And after everyone leaves, Sunny lays in his bed, limbs spread as wide as he can. It feels empty. Way too empty. 

The next morning, Sunny pinches Kel's sleeve while they're on their way to the bus stop. Mari got to stay behind just a little longer since her classes started later. 

"Huh? What's up?" Kel asks. 

"..." Sunny blinks, doing his best to stare Kel in the eye. 

By the time Aubrey and Basil meet them at the crosswalks, Kel is smothering Sunny to death. 

"Um..." 

"He asked for a hug!" Kel insists while Basil snaps a photo. "Well, not asked, but-" 

He gestures to his face, which roughly translates into "He told me through his brain". Aubrey pouts. 

"Well, I give better hugs," she says. 

"No you don't," Kel says. 

"Yeah, I do!" Aubrey opens her arms. "I give great hugs, right, Sunny?" 

Sunny tries to pull back, but Kel doesn't budge. He almost lifts Sunny up like how Mari picks up Mewo, sticking his tongue out at Aubrey while she turns red. 

Eventually, Sunny mutters, "...she gives nice hugs." 

"Wh-Sunny, how could you?" Kel gasps. He releases Sunny, who is immediately scooped up by Aubrey with a smug smile on her face. Neither of them notice that his already-red ears get even redder. Save for Basil, of course, who is readjusting his lenses for another picture. 

"See? I'm an amazing hugger," Aubrey hums, cheek squishing against the top of Sunny's head. "Here, let me show you-" 

"Gah, gross, no!" Kel flails back, and it devolves into Aubrey chasing after him with Sunny in her arms. 

He doesn't complain, though. Not in the least.


	6. Birthdays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kids celebrate.

They're all bruised. 

Kel has the worst of it. He's missing a tooth, and his face is all red and definitely will swell and purple like a grape, along with bloodied elbows and knees. Aubrey isn't as bad, but her hair is all matted and peppered with twigs and dirt. A long cut stretches across her cheek-it doesn't bleed, thankfully, but it does stand out. 

But what surprises Basil the most is the way Sunny squints one eye, a perfect red circle swelling in his socket. The back of his shirt is messier than Aubrey's hair, with the neck hole wrinkled as if someone had grabbed it. 

"Do you have it?" Basil asks. Sunny robotically drops his backpack to let his friend dig through the content, pulling out a plastic container all of them had become familiar with in the past few weeks. It's a hand-me-down from Hero: a medi-kit, which Kel says Hero got from his parents. 

"Eh, it wasn't that bad," Kel reassures him as they all plop onto the curb. "We sent those guys running. Right, guys?" 

Aubrey huffs and mutters something that Basil was sure she learned from her dad. Sunny just grunts. 

"But you know how upset Mari and Hero get when they see you guys all messed up," Basil says. He does his best to mimic Mari's frown, and while Aubrey and Sunny actually look a little embarrassed, Kel only shrugs. 

"Yeah, but Hero told me it's okay when I do it for a good reason." 

"...it was a good reason," Sunny agrees. 

"A very good reason," Aubrey adds. She starts picking the variety of twigs out of her hair, then humphs and lets Sunny pick out the rest she can't reach. "They were being annoying, anyways." 

"Besides, we have you!" Kel says, beaming at Basil when the boy looks up from his elbow. 

Basil smiles back, ignoring the twist in his gut when he glances at the gap in Kel's smile. "I-I know." 

He finishes patching up one elbow and moves on to the other while Sunny and Aubrey work on themselves. They work quickly and quietly. The kit is practically empty before Basil can finish. 

"Oh no..." Basil sits back, frowning. "I can go grab more. I'll be right back-" 

"Wait!" Kel shoots to his feet, nearly tumbling over before Basil rushes over to support him. "Um, we'll be fine, right, guys?" 

Aubrey nods quickly. "Yeah! Um..." 

"...my house," Sunny offers. He hauls his backpack onto his back and picks up the kit, then speeds off before anyone could catch him. 

"W-Wait, Sunny, hold on!" Basil scrambles to follow him. He can hear Aubrey and Kel whispering something, followed by a quiet "ow!" from Kel. "Guys, hurry up! He's-" 

"We're coming!" Aubrey hauls Kel up and chases after Basil, and the three set after Sunny. He's waiting for them at the corner and bolts when he sees them all hurrying over. 

By the time they get to Sunny's house, both Sunny and Basil are struggling to breathe. Aubrey is the one that fishes Sunny's keys out and opens the door. 

"'m home," Sunny calls, handing out the household slippers. There isn't any response, which Basil guesses is due to his parents working, but... 

"Huh, I thought Mari said she went home to practice," Basil says as they finish patching up. 

Unbeknownst to him, Aubrey tenses. Kel shoots her a frantic look, and she waves her arms at Sunny from behind Basil, mouthing as fast as she can. 

"...she went on a date," Sunny says stiffly. 

Aubrey covers her face with her hands and groans while Kel tries not to laugh. 

"With Hero?!" Basil gasps. "Oh, I can't believe I missed them. They always look so nice in the photos..." 

"Maybe we can look for them?" Aubrey suggests, elbowing Kel in the side. 

Basil falters. "But the bullies..." 

"Aw, don't worry about them," Kel says when he shoves Aubrey off. "We scared them off good. Let's go!" 

They don't find them. Kel takes the lead while they scurry through the town, trying their best to find their friends. They aren't at the park or their secret hide-out. Hobbeez is a bust. Basil suggests asking the twins and Mikhael at the bakery, but Kel gets distracted chasing a cat, and they end up back near Sunny's house by the time they're done. 

"I should probably head home soon," Basil says while Sunny urges the cat off of Kel's face. "Polly said we were having spaghetti for dinner tonight." 

"Oh, that sounds great!" Kel sits up, beaming. "D'you think she'd let us have some?!" 

"Um..." Basil swallows. The spaghetti was for a special occasion, but... "Maybe? We can ask." 

Kel shoots to his feet. "Awesome. Come on, I'll race you back!" 

He takes off before Aubrey can get a bandaid on his cat scratches. She just sighs and sticks the bandaid on her arm. 

"How does he have so much energy?" she grumbles before jogging after him. "Come on, you two! Before he gets run over." 

Sunny and Basil follow behind at a much slower pace. There is a definite bruise now forming over Sunny's eye, and Basil clutches his camera tight before forcing the words out. 

"Y-You guys don't have to fight, y'know," he says. "It-It doesn't bother me. Really." 

He's used to the older kids picking on him. They can say all they want, but it's something else when Sunny or Kel or Aubrey get involved. Sunny carries the medi-kit for a reason. 

"...it's fine," Sunny mumbles. The cat in his arms purrs and nudges his chin. "You're our friend." 

"But still! You guys keep on getting hurt, and-and..." Basil tries not to tear up, scrubbing his eyes with his forearm. "What if-What if Kel loses too many teeth? Or-Or Aubrey's hair gets all messed up? Or-" 

"Basil." 

Sunny is staring at him. He doesn't say anything else, and the cat in his arms blocks most of his face, but Basil gets the message anyways. It's the exact same expression Mari uses. 

"R-Right." Basil fiddles with the button of his camera. "Thanks." 

Kel and Aubrey are sitting on the curb when Sunny and Basil finally catch up. 

"I won, by the way," Kel says proudly. 

"He tried to trip me," Aubrey adds. 

"You didn't say we couldn't." 

"That still isn't fair..." Basil reminds him as he fishes his key out. The three crowd the space behind him, and when the door swings open- 

"SURPRISE!" 

The lights burst on. Confetti pelts his face. He squeaks and stumbles back, but all three of his friends catch him before he can fall. Inside, Hero and Mari are honking little noise makers, and after a bright flash, Basil realizes that Polly is holding a camera. 

"Happy birthday!" Kel screams in his ear. "Are you surprised? Did we get you?!" 

"I-Uh-" 

"You guys took so long to get ready!" Aubrey huffs, pointing at Hero and Mari. 

"Well, that tends to happen when you have to run out for ingredients to make another cake," Mari says and shakes her head. "It was such a good-wait, what in the world happened to you guys?!" 

She grabs Sunny's cheeks, tilting his head this way and that. He doesn't react beyond offering the cat to her. 

"Kel, holy-did you pick a fight with someone?" Hero asks when he spots Kel. He starts patting him down, moving over to Aubrey automatically before pinching his nose. "Guys, when we said distract Basil, we meant take him to the park or something." 

"And we did! But then your dumb classmates were there and we decided to show them they were on our turf," Kel says, waving a hand. "We kicked some serious butt, right?" 

Sunny grunts while Aubrey nods, waiting patiently for Hero to finish his assessment. 

"I got one right in the knee, just like you sa-" Aubrey jumps when Hero clamps a hand over her mouth. 

"Alright, come in, come in," Polly says, ignoring the sharp glare Mari gives Hero. "We have all the food already set up, and-oh, your gifts! I wrapped them for you, Aubrey, so-" 

Polly continues on as they shuffle into the house. Balloons adorn the walls. Confetti sparkles on the floor. There's a hand-made banner taped over the dining table, and Mari snaps a party hat over Basil's head when he enters the dining room. 

"-ghetti AND fried chicken?!" Kel shouts, standing in his claimed seat. "Alright, you guys are taking too long! LET'S EA-" 

"Not until Basil gets the first servings!" Aubrey insists. 

"...?" 

"No, Sunny, the cat can't have any," Mari says before perking up. "Unless Basil says so...Basil-oh! Quick, pose!" 

Basil flinches and lowers the camera with an apologetic smile. "Sorry. It's just..." 

Everything looks perfect. Picture perfect. They're all here. Together. 

"I-I'm a little surprised, still," he says instead. "Was...was the fight planned? To stall for time?" 

"It was Kel's idea," Aubrey grumbles. "He thought they would help, but...y'know. And after that, Sunny kind of took off on his own, but I didn't think you'd notice that Mari wasn't home, so..." 

"Sorry," Sunny mumbles. 

"Eh, it worked out in the end," Kel says. "Now come on, Basil! My stomach's dying over here!" 

Basil smiles and slides into the empty chair beside Sunny. He doesn't object when Polly piles on more spaghetti than he can ever hope to finish, nor does he feel bad when Kel tears into the chicken before anyone can get a piece of it. 

Instead, he digs into his meal and kicks his legs in delight. His friends hadn't forgotten, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Birthday, Basil! I'll be 100% honest I have no idea how to write you at all! But I had to pump this out!


End file.
